Handle with Care
by Weird Writing Nerd
Summary: Sprig and Ivy should've known better than to mess with Maddie's things. Based on Inktober 2019 Day 7 prompt: Enchanted.


"_Ambush_!"

Sprig knew that voice from anywhere. Knowing what usually came next, he quickly sidestepped. Ivy's flying kick went wide. She easily recovered; dropping into a roll, and adopting a perfect three-point stance. She shot him a dangerous smirk, he put on a dumb grin. A point for Sprig, technically, but right now, he's just glad the bowl he'd been carrying above his head remained safe and sound. Heck of a close call, though.

"You're learning, I see," she said, brushing off some of the dirt stuck to her overalls.

"You can't be number one forever." He would've stuck out his tongue, but held back. The bowl in his hands comes first. "But, let's not do this right now, okay?"

Ivy placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "That's not how the rules go, Sprig. Anywhere, anytime; remember?"

"I know, but I have _this_." He jostled the bowl above his head ever so slightly, not enough to actually upset the contents. "Gotta take care of _this_."

Her eyes tilted up. "What _is_ that?" She stepped back, seemingly noticing the awkward pose Sprig held for the first time. "Actually, what _are_ you doing here, standing outside the bakery? You work here now? Your family really that strapped for copper?"

Sprig shrugged. "Just doing Maddie a favor."

"Maddie?" Ivy's eyes widened. "You're buddies with your ex?"

"We're cool." Sprig shrugged again, then sheepishly shifted his footing. "Also, I kinda owe her."

Ivy's gaze returned to the bowl. "And that favor is?"

"Holding up this bowl, yes." When Ivy frowned in confusion, Sprig shrugged a third time. "Yeah, I don't get why either. I just do it."

Ivy squinted at him, before sighing. "Alright, alright," she said, making a show of turning around and walking away. Suspicious. "Maddie's clearly put her trust in you. I'll let you off just this-"

Ivy spun back with a roundhouse kick. Sprig saw this coming too. He stepped back, weaving to one side, but she was too fast. Her foot snagged the crook of his left elbow, the bowl above slipping out of his fingers. He could do nothing but watch, almost in slow motion, as the bowl spun through the air, its contents spilling out, until it met the ground. A _crack_ rang as the bowl was shattered, and a sudden explosion of white consumed Sprig and Ivy.

He coughed and hacked, backing away from the cloud of dust, only to find his feet not meeting the ground behind him. The unexpectedness of it lost him his balance, falling backwards, but the impact never came. When his vision finally cleared, a scream left his lips. How couldn't he, when he found himself upside down, floating five feet off the ground.

Another voice joined his scream from somewhere behind him – Ivy's. He craned his neck, wiggling his whole body to try and turn himself around, until he finally saw Ivy. She was floating in midair too, caught in an unfortunate vertical spiral, and slowly but surely rising higher off the ground. Sprig felt a pit in his stomach open when he realized the same thing was happening to him.

Thinking fast, Sprig reached out and just managed to grab a hold of Ivy's left foot as it spun past. Her spinning came to a halt, and so did her scream. That did nothing to stop their ascent – another five feet went by – but at least they wouldn't get separated now. With his other hand, he reached out for the giant rolling pin decorating the bakery's roof. After much waving, and much wiggling, he barely, _barely_ dug his fingers onto the tip of the giant rolling pin. Their ascent slowed, and came to a full stop. Sprig sighed in relief. _That_ was an even closer call.

"What's happening?!" Ivy shrieked.

"If I have to guess, Maddie," Sprig answered. He should've known magic would be involved. Her curses and enchantments grew crazier by the day. "Maddie is what's happening."

The way Ivy's face very quickly soured would've been enough warning for the wise to tread lightly around her. But Sprig wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

"So, uh," he started, "I don't want to say I told you so-"

"Then _don't_."

Sprig zipped his mouth shut, and threw away the zipper. He looked down, gauging to the best of his ability how high they were. A fall from this height wouldn't kill a frog, but he wasn't keen on finding out if this enchantment had an upper limit, or what that limit would be. Ivy blew out a long sigh, catching his attention.

"You wouldn't happen to know how to stop this, do you?" she asked.

"I don't think you would've been friends with me if I do."

Ivy made a noise. "Fair."

Sprig let his eyes wander to the bakery. He knew Maddie was inside, and it wouldn't take much to get her attention. Ivy wouldn't like it, but it had to be said.

"We need Maddie."

Ivy grimaced at first, but it passed. "Fine. Do it."

Sprig was relieved that was all it took. He expected much, much more resistance from Ivy.

"Maddie! Need some help out here! Kind of an emergency!"

A few seconds passed, and right before Sprig started screaming again, the door to the bakery swung open, and out walked a familiar frog.

Maddie looked around, eyebrows raised, until her eyes landed on the shattered remains of the bowl on the ground. She knew immediately to look up. "Sprig?" Her gaze turned slightly to the left, and went cold. "Ivy."

"Hi."

Maddie looked back to the bowl remains, then to Sprig, then to Ivy. She crossed her arms. "Let's hear it."

Sprig raised a finger. "I wanna start by saying that I am completely innocent."

"Hey!" Ivy kicked at Sprig with the leg he wasn't holding onto. Tried to, at least.

"I _am_!"

Ivy growled, but he knew she couldn't deny it. Another victory for Sprig. Hollow victory, but still.

"Let's put a pin on that until after we're back on solid ground, okay?" Ivy shifted her body to better look at Maddie. "Maddie, you _can_ get us down, right?"

Maddie blinked. "No."

"No?!" Ivy balked. "What do you mean, _no_?!"

"It'll wear off on its own." Maddie shrugged. "Eventually."

Ivy's eyes twitched. "I'm gonna need something better than 'eventually'!"

Maddie frowned, but still walked over to the remains of the bowl. Her eyes narrowed for a moment. "Give it an hour." She nudged one of the broken pieces with her foot. A small puff of smoke burst out from under it. "Or two."

Sprig saw a vein pop. "Not. Good enough." Ivy would've been stomping her feet were she on solid ground.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Customers," she mumbled, just loud enough for Ivy and Sprig to hear. Purposefully so. "Never satisfied."

"Like I would ever buy _anything_ from you!"

Sprig's lips thinned into a line. He needed to step in yesterday.

"Maddie, come on, you're smart. _Real_ smart. Smartest frog in Wartwood, even!" Sprig rambled. Years of buttering up Hop Pop has finally paid off. "You gotta know some way to get us down quicker."

Sprig could've sworn he saw the edges of Maddie's lips curl upward. The tone of her voice became quite smug. "Yeah, I am smart." Her tone flattened again. "Smart enough to know that there's nothing I can do."

Sprig deflated. He really thought he had a shot. What a bummer. So bummed he was, he didn't realize for a few moments that Maddie had started walking back to the bakery.

"Just make sure you don't fall on your head when the spell wears off," she said. "See you in a couple hours."

"Wait, no, Maddie, if you help us, I'll do whatever you want! I'll be your assistant! Or your test subject!"

"No, don't you dare! You can't just leave us here! I swear to Frog, Mads, there are going to be consequences!"

Their pleas and complaints fell on deaf ears. The bakery door swung shut, leaving the two alone, stuck on the roof, clinging onto the giant rolling pin for dear life.

"_Maddie_!"

* * *

**Season 2, please let these three be the B-team. They would be so good together.**

**And yeah, I know this isn't October anymore, but counterpoint: these prompts are way too fun to let go. And aren't we all here to have fun?**

**Based on Inktober 2019 Day 7 prompt: Enchanted.**


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